With much success in the underground Moneen has risen to the challenge of trying to get themselves known to the general public. After switching labels, now signed under Vagrant I feel Moneen will definately get bigger as they have already done so with their new songs. I will say first off that this album easily tops their 2 prior albums and would be for anyone that likes alternative or punk. These songs are as well shorter in length but still keep up those excessively song names.
The opener "Don't Ever Tell Locke What He Can't Do", has a great built-up intro, key for getting your interest right away. Moneen waste no time getting a little heavy for the start, the song rises up to well-ranged vocals done by Kenny backed by a great guitar riff in the chorus, the vocals get very agressive before the last chorus, and then finish with Kenny. The next one, "If Tragedy's Appealing... Then Disaster's An Addiction" is one of the few that go back similarily to Moneen's punk roots, with modern punk chords done by both guitars and original lyrics, the song never slows down and keeps you going. Track 3, "Bleed And Blister (Version 3)" has a history behind it, the original was released on MySpace and the second version (which is similar to the first but with an added bridge) was featured on The Switcheroo Series with fellow Canadians, Alexisonfire. The third is not much different, simply redone with a different style to it, sped up and no slow bridge.
"The Day No One Needed To Know" and has a darker feel to it, signifying the vocals with grungy guitar in the back and the occasional riff, similar to that of an upcoming track. The next is a soft one. With a little less appealing vocals but at the same time very melodic guitar. The song goes through three stages, each with more of a full sound than the last, and the third being heaviest. Track 6, "The Frightening Reality Of The Fact That We Will All Have To Grow Up And Settle Down One Day" is by far the best on the CD, with a killer guitar riff, backed by solemn-sounding power chords, which is all put together with singing that really shows off Kenny's abilities in singing and writing.
For the last 2 songs we really slow down, track 7 "The Politics in Living and The Shame in Dying", track 8, The East has Stolen What the West May Want" and track 9 "Seasons Fade...Fever's Rage...It's A Slow Decay" being the transition songs, track 7 is overall very similar to track 4, but with a softer chorus, faster paced in parts and less dark. Track 8 is a little heavier but just as slow in parts and builds up multiple times and features a melodic intro. In Track 9 we finally hear the powerful voice of Hippie Chris, backed by somewhat heavy guitar, with kenny singing the softer parts.
And now this is where it completely slows down, as well as loses your interest a little. Track 10, "There Are A Million Reasons For Why This May Not Work...And Just One Good One For Why It Will" is much like track 5, same unappealing singing singing and softer synth guitar. This song as well gets heavier at the end for a closer. We then get to the album closer, "The Song I Swore Never To Sing". This song is my least favourite on the album and not the best closer. It is very soft throughout the whole song with quiet vocals and simply a single piano for isntrumental.
Overall I would give this album 4.5, it changes a lot and there are many songs that are not in any way similar and keep you very interested and rockin' for a good while. Definately a good listen, very glad I bought it, also note that this album is not 25 bucks, like the first 2, and is only 11 at most. A few songs are not done as well and lose your interest, but aside from that, this was an insane album.
